But Axis merely remarked bitterly that was all very well for Belial to say, wasn‘t Belial the one
who had managed to not only save Axis‘ life, but the lives of those remaining in the street?
Belial had truly lost his temper and had only just restrained himself from striking Axis,
eventually turning and stalking out of the room.
The three men stood alone on the roof of the Keep. It was the highest point in the fort‘s
defences and all the other sentries were well below them on the battlements and walls. They
were alone, wrapped in their own thoughts.
Alone, until all three men realised that they could hear the soft beat of wings. Magariz,
memories of the SkraeBold‘s previous attack on him rushing to his mind, was first to draw his
sword and crouch into a defensive posture, his eyes scanning the low cloud above, his left hand
pushing his cloak out of the way of his sword arm.
Three forms dropped out of the cloud and onto the roof a safe distance away from the
three men, all now with their swords drawn. Axis narrowed his eyes at the three winged men,
dressed in warm woollen garments, standing across the far side of the roof. Two had jet-black
wings, the third had snow-white wings, golden hair and the deepest violet eyes Axis had ever
seen in any creature. None of them were armed and all held their hands well out from their sides
to show that they carried no weapons, drooping their wings until they rustled along the splintery
wood of the roof.
One of the black-winged creatures stepped forward and bowed slightly at the three men.
―Greetings, BattleAxe Axis, StarMan,‖ he said in a deep musical voice.
All three men started at the sure naming of Axis, but Magariz was especially stunned by
the use of the title ―StarMan‖. His eyes momentarily flickered to Axis. StarMan?
―I am Crest-Leader HoverEye BlackWing, commander in the Icarii Strike Force.‖ Axis
almost dropped his sword in astonishment. They are Icarii! he thought, his heart starting to
bound in his chest. Icarii! ―My companions,‖ HoverEye continued, after a moment‘s pause, ―are
FreeFall SunSoar, heir to the Talon throne, and Wing-Leader SpikeFeather TrueSong.‖ It had
taken FreeFall hours of heated argument with his father to obtain permission to fly in with
HoverEye and SpikeFeather and the Talon had been heartsick as he waved his only son goodbye
from Talon Spike.
HoverEye stopped and looked expectantly at Axis who suddenly realised that HoverEye
was waiting for him to introduce his two companions. ―Ah, Lord Magariz, commander of
Gorkenfort under Borneheld Duke of Ichtar,‖ Magariz bowed slightly, his cautious but intensely
curious dark eyes not leaving the group of three Icarii, ―and my lieutenant, Belial.‖
Belial sketched a bow, his eyes friendly. So these were Axis‘ father‘s people? ―It is
strange,‖ he said, ―that my first impression of the Forbidden should be that they are hardly
forbidding at all.‖
Magariz gawked at the three creatures. Forbidden? They were nothing like the foul
creatures of the Seneschal‘s teachings.
FreeFall walked forward, stopping only a few paces from Axis. Axis lowered his sword
and turned to his companions. ―We have nothing to fear from these Icarii. Put your swords
away.‖ He sheathed his sword and an instant later Belial did the same. Somewhat reluctantly,
even though he believed the three Icarii were little threat, Magariz lowered his own sword and
sheathed it. The scar throbbed on his cheek, reminding him of what injuries winged attackers
could inflict.
Axis turned back to look at FreeFall. He couldn‘t believe how beautiful the Icarii was. No
wonder his mother had loved one of them.
Magariz grasped Belial‘s arm, his eyes wide in shock as he looked between Axis and the
Icarii. ―Artor save us!‖ he whispered, ―I think I can now see who, what, fathered Axis!‖
―Indeed, my Lord Magariz. Axis is as much Icarii as Acharite.‖
Magariz dragged his eyes away from Axis and the Icarii and looked at Belial in
amazement as he realised that Axis and Belial were already well aware of Axis‘ Icarii connection
and of the idea that Axis might be the StarMan.
For their part FreeFall, HoverEye and SpikeFeather were equally enthralled with Axis.
Could he be the One to save them? HoverEye thought he saw the lines of strain and self-doubt
around the man‘s eyes and wondered if this could truly be the StarMan. Surely the One would be
more confident?
FreeFall smiled at his cousin and held out his hand. Slowly Axis stepped forward and
extended his own. FreeFall grasped it ―Greetings, cousin. StarDrifter and Rivkah send greetings
and their love and would, had they been able, have come here to greet you themselves. But
Rivkah, alas, has not the gift of flight and your father is only just recovering from cruel injuries
inflicted by a SkraeBold at Yuletide.‖
Axis wavered on his feet and FreeFall‘s grip tightened about his arm. ―Axis?‖
Magariz looked, if possible, even more stunned.
―Rivkah is alive?‖ Axis whispered. His whole life had been built about the presumption
of her death at his birth, yet now this Icarii—his cousin?—stood before him and smiled and said
that Rivkah was alive. How had she survived Jayme and Moryson?
FreeFall blinked in some bewilderment, then laughed as he realised what had shocked
Axis so much. ―Of course, cousin. Ah, but I can see that there has been some confusion. Truth to
tell, StarDrifter and Rivkah believed until very recently that you were dead, too. Ever since they
found out the truth of your existence they have fretted to see you.‖
After all the cruel lies, after a lifetime of believing there was no-one in the world for him,
that he had no family, suddenly Axis discovered that his parents were alive and loved him. His
parents…what a strange concept. He had never had parents before now. And this man had called
him cousin? ―Cousin?‖ he frowned.
FreeFall smiled more gently at the man. How strange he must be feeling. ―StarDrifter is
my uncle, brother to my father RavenCrest, the Talon.‖ His smile broadened. ―And you have a
sister, EvenSong. So you see, Axis, you have an entire family that you knew nothing about until
now. Welcome to the House of SunSoar.‖ FreeFall hesitated an instant, then he leaned forward
and embraced Axis.
Axis stood, completely overwhelmed, then he suddenly hugged FreeFall tightly.
―FreeFall,‖ he laughed, some of the tightly coiled emotions within him unwinding, ―what a
ridiculous name!‖
―And what of Axis? There has never been an Axis SunSoar before. But it sounds good. It
sounds good, cousin. And I am glad that we have found you.‖
All watching felt the emotion between FreeFall and Axis and none were unaffected by it.
Belial stepped forward and briefly embraced Axis. ―Axis SunSoar,‖ he said grinning, ―I like it.
And a sister? I think I‘d like to meet her! I hope she has not got your temper.‖
FreeFall grinned at this likeable man, but thought it best to banish any romantic thought
about EvenSong from his mind. ―She has the worst of the SunSoar temper, Belial. You would do
better to avoid her. Besides, daily she torments me with the threat of becoming my wife.‖
Belial bowed slightly to the Icarii. ―Then you have my apologies and my condolences,
FreeFall SunSoar. I have lived with Axis‘ temper for many years now and can only imagine what
it must be like in a woman.‖
Axis‘ smile faded a little. StarDrifter. ―FreeFall. My father. I must get to my father.‖
―Yes. I understand, Axis. That is partly the reason why we are here. HoverEye?
SpikeFeather?‖ FreeFall gestured the other two Icarii forward. All three had folded their wings
against their backs now that the greetings were over.
―Axis SunSoar,‖ HoverEye began formally. ―We know of the Prophecy and, with so
many of the Sentinels with you, then I can only assume that you do also.‖ Axis nodded. ―You are
the StarMan,‖ HoverEye said bluntly, ―and you are the one who will bring Gorgrael to his knees.
Here you are impotent,‖ HoverEye gestured about Gorkenfort and Axis winced. HoverEye
noticed the expression in Axis‘ eyes. ―No, Axis SunSoar, do not blame yourself for this. No one
could have prevented this rout. And perhaps you should know that both the Avar and the Icarii
have stood as helpless against the Skraelings as you do now‖ He grimaced at the memory. ―It
took a Groundwalker woman, Azhure, to show us how to kill the wraiths.‖
―Azhure?‖ Both Axis and Belial said together in surprise, half that Azhure now
apparently lived with the Icarii and half at the appellation ‗Groundwalker‘. ―She‘s still good at
the death stroke then,‖ Belial muttered.
HoverEye ignored their reaction. ―Axis SunSoar, it must be a combined force that meets
Gorgrael‘s army, not a force composed only of Groundwalkers or of Icarii or Avar warriors.‖ He
shrugged, discomforted. ―Our proud Strike Force could do little against the Skraelings. However